Reckson/SL Green Offers Office Space, Mixed Use Gateway, Retail, No Specs.

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WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER. June 4, 2007 UPDATED 11:50 AM EDT: The surprise letter delivered by Reckson/SL Green, the largest owner of commercial office space in the New York area received Friday by the Mayor and Common Council by e-mail, promises, that as a $15 Billion enterprise they can “readily undertake a redevelopment of the Train Station and surrounding area into a magnificent mixed use gateway to the City of White Plains,” and calls for the City to issue a Request for Proposals “or any other form the Council determines is in the best interest of the City without causing any delay in advancing the Train Station Project.”


Rick Matthews, a spokesman for SL Green told WPCNR that the Mayor was first advised of the project in a meeting Thursday, before the Friday meeting. He said he would check to confirm this. WPCNR asked how long SL Green had been considering working up a station proposal, he said he would also check on that, but thought there might not be any more comment.




Reckson promises they would devise a proposal “crafted to better reflect the City’s vision and Comprehensive Plan for the Station Square area,” including “high-end retail,” and ability “to attract the very best of commercial tenants,” and “creating a walkable urban environment around the Train Station Area with pedestrian linkage to the Mamaroneck Avenue Business District,” while “respecting the density in the area.” Reckson also holds out the carrot of being “very much amenable to discussing other amenity packages for the City good or better than the current proposal (Station Square).”


The letter “respectfully submits that an Exclusivity Agreement, as contemplated at this early stage in the planning process for a Train Station Project, would undercut the advantages to the City to be gained by a competitive process, and promote improper favoritism and fundamental unfairness. It would also be difficult, “ the letter closes, “if not impossible, for the City to enter into an Exclusivity Agreement now with one developer, and expect a company such as Reckson/SL Green to submit a proposal later.”


WPCNR contacted John Barnes, the Senior Vice President of Reckson/SL Green at his office in White Plains, for details on when the firm apprised the Mayor they were interested in the station area, and we await his return phone call.


The text of the Reckson letter, released to WPCNR by a member of the Common Council, follows:



 



 



 


 


 


 


 


 

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Other Developer Wants to Get Into the Act. Gives Council Excuse to Dump Cappelli

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WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL-CHRONICLE EXAMINER. June 4, 2007: Reckson/SL Green campaigned in the press today, urging the Common Council to deny Cappelli Enterprises the Exclusivity Agreement it seeks to develop the White Plains Train Station for Louis Cappelli’s Station Square project. The Journal News reported today it had received a letter Saturday from John Barnes of Reckson/SL Green, a Senior Vice President expressing the desire to develop its plan for the site.


The letter already has according to the Journal News turned Councilman Glen Hockley away from support for the Exclusivity Agreement. Hockley is reported by the paper as being in support now of competition, appearing to assure the dumping of the Exclusivity Agreement in some way, or more discussion. Ironically, the failure of the Common Council to vote the Exclusivity Agreement May 24 as Mr. Cappelli had expressed at the May 10 work session, has given developers a chance to jump on his idea for developing the station — even imitate it.


All members of the Common Council with the exception of Dennis Power, knew details of the plan from Mr. Cappelli for six weeks before May 24, but failed to move to approve the Exclusivity May 24 due to public pressure, when they had expressed no overdue concern on the project or the Exclusivity Agreement for five weeks.


The letter was sent exclusively to The Journal News. It also gives the Common Council reason to reject the Exclusivity Agreement and launch Requests for Proposals to develop the site. Cappelli had hoped to lease out the office components of his project in 2009. Sorting through Requests for Proposals should the city decide to go that route effectively kills this project timetable.

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Yorktown Defeats Tigers, 5-1 for Class AA Fastpitch Championship

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WPCNR PRESS BOX. June 3, 2007: Yorktown struck for 3 quick runs in the first and 2 more in the second inning today and withstood White Plains threats in the 3rd and 4th innings, to win the Class AA Section 1 Title today at North Rockland. The Tigers had bases loaded twice and did not capitalize, finishing another great season at 21-7, with their second straight appearance in the Class AA Fastpitch Finals, something WPCNR believes no other school has done.



Growing Accustomed to This Place: Tigers being introduced in the Pregame Class AA cermonies today.



Tigers in Action in North Rockland today.


Lauren Sputo after Yorktown’s quick strikes in the first two innings held the Huskers scoreless the final four innings and will be a dominant force in the circle for many years to come and she and her cohorts will be back. It was the last game for seniors Dena Frederick, who went 2 for 4 setting up Tiger efforts at rallies in the middle innings, Lisa Tompkins, Dani Szabo and Juliana Bailey, who doubled and scored the only  Tiger run in the third on Dena Frederick’s single.


 


After the Yorktown leadoff batter fanned, Kasey O’Connor hit the first pitch over the left field fence some 225 feet in straightaway left for a 1-0, Yorktown lead.


A walk, a single by Olivia Calgagnini, and a single by Tori Matzura, made it 2-0. With 2 out in the first a single to center by Danielle Montesano made it 3-0, but Sputo cut off the throw to the plate and nailed Montesano at second with Dani Szabo taking the throw as Montesano tried to take second on the throw.


In the second, Yorktown added two more, on a walk with 1 out, a single by Larssa Porcelli a single by O;Connor to load the bases, a baseloaded walk made it 4-0 and a groundout by Calgagnini made it 5-0.


The Tigers scored in the third. With 1 out, Juliana Bailey blooped a double on the line in left and made second. Dena Frederick ripped a single to center and Bailey came around to score.  Frederick, getting her stroke back was 2 for 3  with a walk in the big game and, of course, the only RBI. Singles by Dani Szabo and Lisa Tompkins loaded the bases, after “Dena the Dreama’s” hit,  but Larissa Porcelli ended the bid by inducing a pop up.


The Tigers loaded them again in the fourth, but again could not get the back-in-the-game hit.


Larissa Porcelli settled down after the 4th retiring nine of the last 10 Tiger hitters, allowing  6 hits, fanning 4 and walking one. Porcelli kept the Tigers off balance at the plate with off-speed pitches, painting the corners, throwing off Tiger timing. 


The game ended another fine and valiant season by the Tigers who fought back into the final game despite injuries to Dena Frederick which kept the hard-hitting thirdbaser out of the lineup for 20 games and the field for weeks, Dani Szabo also missed  a couple of games.


Coach Ted O’Donnell should get Coach of the Year for the job he did with this team by using personnel brilliantly, and instilling players  with the confidence and pride that produced comeback wins and outstanding performances against older more experienced teams.


The Tiger roster has 4 Seniors: Szabo, Bailey, Tompkins and Frederick; two 8th Graders, Sputo and Christina Coppola,  four sophomores, Kate Smayda, Shannon Nicholson, Laura Demarte, a fleet outfielder, and Sara Lorden, another outfielder, and three Juniors, Jackie Flooks, the rangy centerfielder, Cristina Giansante, the leftfielder, and the best catcher in the county, Sandra Mastrangelo.  


 

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Tigers — Cornhuskers Postponed to 11:30 AM Sunday . Hen Hud wins.

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WPCNR PRESS BOX. June 2, 2007: An hour of thunder and impressive cloud to ground lightning resulted in an hour and a half delay today at North Rockland High School, forcing postponement of the White Plains-Yorktown Class AA Section I Fastpitch Final Championship Game. The game will be played at 11:30 A.M. at North Rockland



Tigers in Action in last year’s Fastpitch Section I Final in North Rockland. Coach O’Donnell’s team is back in the Finals Again with another fantastic fastpitch finish.



That old Hudson River Bandit feeling. The former Bandit infield of Nikki Tamburri on the mound finishing off Tappan Zee in the 7th Saturday afternoon. Jill Gallagher at first and Heather Claussen at third lean in.


After resumption of their game with Tappan Zee, Hen Hud,  trailing 3-1; strung together 8 hits in the 4th inning to score 6 runs and defeat Tappan Zee for the Class A Section I Championship, 7-4. Jill Gallagher drove in the winning runs. Nicki Tamburri went all the way for the win, shutting Tappan Zee down from the 4th to the 7th.


In the stunning rally, Nikki Tamburri walked. Heather Claussen battling on a 1-2 count ripped a single up the middle to put runners and first and second. Meghan Kiernan singled to make it 3-2. Katie Joblon singled up the middle to tie it 3-3. After Nicole Martin struck out, Jill Gallagher blasted a scorcher again over the middle to put the Sailors ahead 4-3. Jackie Gallagher hit into a force at third for one out. Then came the hits that give you nightmares. Shannon Brown dunked into center and took second on the throw to the plate for a 5-3 lead. Kirby Wright tenth hitter up in the inning smacked a Baltimore Chop off the sunbaked infield that the shortstop could not handle, to make it 6-3. Nicki Tamburri did the exact same thing again chopping the ball high to the mound to get in the 7th run. It was a top to bottom team rally. In the fifth Jackie Gallagher with a TZ-er on at first and `1 out, cheating towards second backhanded a bullet at second, stepped on the bag and blazed a throw to first for a 6-6-3 DP.



Hen Hud — Class A Section I Champions.


It was the culmination of a team that had played together as the travel team, the Hudson River Bandits, six years ago and played with and against each other over years of travel fastpitch softball. It was good to see them together at the top. 


 

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Power: “Decisive Action” by Council on Exclusivity Agreement Monday.

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WPCNR Common Council-Chronicle Examiner. By John F. Bailey. June 1, 2007: Councilman Dennis Power promised WPCNR decisive action by the Common Council Monday evening on the Exclusivity Agreement resolution on the Common Council Calendar that was tabled last week until June 4, by the Common Council.


Power said the paperwork he received, better known among the news media who attempt to cover the city as the “backup material,” had not indicated there had been any revisions in the Exclusivity Agreement made public May 22. Usually, Power said, if there is a revised resolution in the backup material it is indicated upfront in the backup material. However, WPCNR has known surprise revisions of resolutions to appear miraculously on late Monday afternoon before Council Meetings.



If passed, the resolution as it stands, would grant Cappelli Enterprises exclusive rights to negotiate for key pieces of land the city owns adjacent the White Plains Railroad Station; automatically extend the exclusivity “freeze out” of other developing interests until the council decides to approve or deny Mr. Cappelli’s plans; and has the Council agreeing that “the Proposed Project (Station Square)…is a fundamentally sound concept for the redevelopment of the Redevelopment Site and an appropriate and acceptable basis and framework for the formulation of a Redevelopment Plan, and the Common Council and the Agency agree that they shall in good faith consider the Redevelopment Plan.” The Exclusivity Agreement essentially prohibits the city for entertaining other proposals for the land, if Cappelli Enterprises does not cowtow to Council demands. It locks the council in to the plan.


Power told WPCNR that the item on the calendar would be moved up so citizens could speak on the Exclusivity Agreement concept.


Asked if he held any animosity towards Council President Malmud, Councilman Benjamin Boykin, and Councilman Thomas Roach for not telling him about the plan when all three knew about the plan weeks before the May 10 “introduction” of the plan, Mr. Power said he was not going to address that.


Last night, a White Plains “CitizeNetReporter” who attended the Highlands Neighborhood Association Meeting where Rita Malmud was the guest, reports that when pressed by a hostile audience of 35 people who strongly criticized the Exclusivity Agreement and asked if she was going to vote down the Exclusivity Agreement, Mrs. Malmud repeatedly equivocated and refused to answer the question. “She just outlined the Cappelli position and the Council position, but would not say one way or another what she was going to do,” our source says.


The Four Members of the council who are undecided: Roach, Malmud, Boykin and Power are under intense pressure to vote down the exclusivity agreement, including a published letter to The Journal News by Paul Schwarz, “kingmaker” of the Democratic City Committee Nominating Committee, that described Station Square as a “monstrous proposal.”


What is interesting is that the three Councilpersons (Boykin, Roach and Malmud) who knew beforehand of the Exclusivity Agreement, apparently felt the concept of the exclusivity agreement was O.K. before May 10, and did not immediately balk when the Cappelli organization first proposed it in private schmooze sessions with them before May 10. They even did not protest strongly at the May 10 meeting. It was only after their prior knowledge was disclosed by this reporter that they have been ruminating against the Exclusivity Agreement.

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Commercial Assessment Ratio Initiative Awaits Senate Verdict on Cert Relief

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WPCNR QUILL & EYESHADE. By John F. Bailey. June 1, 2007: A06069, The Bill that would establish a separate Commercial Assessment Ratio for commercial property in Westchester County awaits a greenlight from the New York State Senate, Assemblyman Bradley told WPCNR today.


“I’ll prioritize it, if Suzi (Openheimer, State Senator), tells me there’s a chance of moving it in the Senate,” Bradley told WPCNR.



Asked when this would happen, Bradley said the Assembly had a very long calendar and it would probably be put on the debate list.  He said unless Ms. Oppenheimer tells him the Senate will pass it, he will not move to take it off the debate list and bring it to a vote in the Assembly in  June. Though, he thinks it will “probably” happen.


“I have the power to bring it off the debate list in June, and bring it to a vote, if I think it has a chance of passing,” Bradley said.


The bill has been endorsed by the Westchester Municipal Officers Association, and the Westchester Assessors Association. As written, the bill establishes a separate commercial assessment ratio for commercial property in Westchester County, and only Westchester County.  The effect of the separate commercial assessment ratio would take the value of residential property out of the equalization rate that has lead to the rash of certiorari refunds that have cut the White Plains assessment roll from $450 Million in 1989 to $289 Million  in 2007, according to the White Plains City School District.


Including the residential property in the computation of the Equalization Rate lowers the rate at which commercial property is taxed resulting in certiorari suits that White Plains (and other county cities) has elected to settle over the years rather than fight the suits and pay costlier settlements if the city loses.


Assessors interviewed by WPCNR said the effect of a separate commercial assessment ratio would assesss commercial properties fairly and not artificially lower their value. If enacted one assessor, speaking on condition of anonymity said that it would slow the rate of ceritoraris in coming years, but result in request for reassessments, since cities do not automatically reassess as a result of a lowered valuation. This happens, the assessor said, in the present certiorari suits.


The assessor told WPCNR that eventually the loss in tax revenue from adjusted assessments would have to be made up by other revenue sources, as they are absorbed now by residential property owners, but at a slower rate, stabilizing the sharp rise in residential property owner taxes that have escalated due to the certiorari refunds in recent years.


This analysis would have the effect, it would seem,  of making Westchester County very attractive for developers to build in Westchester County or companies to move to Westchester and buy Westchester properties because of the “fairer” assessment their new buildings would receive in Westchester, rather than elsewhere. Given this explanation, while slowing certiorari suits, the bill would appear to create a property tax cut for commercial property owners as well as potentially more manageable tax increases for residential property owners, maybe.

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Szabo’s 2 Run Blast Stuns New Ro, 2-0 in 9 The-a Tigers Win. Into the Finals!

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WPCNR FLASH. May 31, 2007: This just across the wire from New Rochelle. The White Plains Tigers ousted New Rochelle out of the Section Class AA SoftballTournament with an extra inning win today completed moments ago 2-0.



With Sandra Mastrangelo aboard on an extra base knock, Tiger Shortstop Dani Szabo crushed a Jillian Schonberg pitch just a little too fat in the 9th and tagged it high and far and way deep into the Huguenaut’s  endless billiard-table synthetic turf outfield where the ball  never stops rolling.


 The desperate relay was not in-time and Szabo crossed the plate for a 2-0 lead. Our correspondent said the Tigers played flawless ball making numerous defensive gems. Lauren Sputo went all the way for the Tigers pitching a a great game. It was one of the the all-time awesome White Plains softball wins. 


Lauren Sputo went all the way for the win, pitching out of a 2-on no out jam in the 7th and a 2-on, no-out jam in the bottom of the ninth. It was clutch pitching at its best, and not even Roger Clemens can go 9 innings. In fact, no one in the major leagues pitches 9 innings.  The Sputo is only 13 years old, we think..but she looked like Don Drysdale today.  Coach Ted O’Donnell said this was the most memorable game he has ever coached.


The great Jillian Schonberg, who lost the game, was gracious and gallant in defeat and should be saluted for a great season.


Dani’s homer was a screamer soaring down the left field line just over the leftfielder’s head and it just kept on rolling.



They’re Smart Ballplayers too! The White Plains Fastpitch Softball Team being honored at the buzzingest, nosiest, most unruly Scholar Athlete Recognition School Board meeting tonight. The softball team (and there is nothing soft about the ball they play) compiled a team average of 91.2 as 11 of its 13 members recorded Grade Point Average of 90 or above qualifying the team as a Scholar-Athlete Team.  Other teams that were Scholar Athlete Teams, were the Men’s Outdoor Track Team where 21 athletes qualified; Women’s Outdoor Track, 24 athletes qualifying; Women’s Lacrosse, 13 athletes qualifiying, and Men’s Tennis with 12 athletes qualifying.


White Plains plays Yorktown Saturday afternoon, in North Rockland,  weather permitting at 5:30 PM for the Section I Class AA Crown. The Tigers second straight appearance in the Final, which WPCNR believes they have never done before. Yorktown is a fine ball club, blasting Clarkstown North (no slouch) 10-1 today.


The Tigers head to the Section I Final for the second year in a row Saturday. No details available but, our mom on the scene says there is pandemonium on that team bus right now. The Tigers — a team written off this season by the experts — had lost three times to New Rochelle this season, notching only two runs in 21 innings, but came through with one of the greatest wins in White Plains softball history today.  The Tigers are 21-6 on the season and the 21st win will always be remembered by anyone who saw it.


 

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The Big Dog Marks His Territory – No Matter What Little Four Decide.

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WPCNR THE DAILY BAILEY. News Comment By John F. Bailey. May 31, 2007: Deep Throats with liaisons with The Little Four: Councilpersons Benjamin Boykin, Rita Malmud, Dennis Power and Thomas Roach, tell The CitizeNetReporter that the Little Four  have a solidarity of 4 votes and will not approve the Super Developer’s Exclusivity Agreement, at Monday evening’s June Common Council meeting at least as written (and available for viewing on this website).  



Paul Schwarz, their mentor and leading policyist for the City Committee has even gone on record with a letter to The Journal News demanding the Station Square project be defused promptly. Oh! The pressure! Schwarz wrote: “We can only hope that the council majority will prevail and repudiate this monstrous proposal. True sanity will only return when both men (Louis Cappelli and Mayor Joseph Delfino) have left city hall.”


Is that a setup to make the Little Four look good Monday night?


That’s pressure. If one of the Little Four switches – the Exclusivity Agreement passes. Who will be the weak link? Someone needs an excuse to wimp on the votedown and approve the agreement.


However, since the Little Four have not shown any stomach for voting down anything Louis Cappelli wants in the last seven years, I would be surprised if the Exclusivity Agreement were not altered in some way to give the Council the political face-saving it needs to avoid road-blocking a proposal that has obviously some hidden big time clout behind it.  I mean, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has not said, “Forget about it.” The County has not said “Hold on, Mr. C.” The State DOT has not said, “Louis Who?”


If I were Louis Cappelli,  I’d be directing his battery of Super Lawyers, Zoning Zenists, and Nuancing Negotiatiors, and Facilitating City Commissioners, and  the Conciliatory Counsel of the city legal department to draft language toning down the language in the Exclusivity Agreement that, in its present form, essentially commits the Council to the Station Square project big time, before the number of floors are even pegged. (That’s very important in analyzing a Cappelli Enterprises project.)


The agreement upon examination, is not just an agreement that allows the Super Developer to be sole negotiator with the city for the city-owned sites he proposes to build Station Square. It infers what some would interpret as a strong vote of confidence by the Common Council in the proposal that this is what they want.


The Council, when it accepts the agreement commits to “continuing” the negotiating Exclusivity conferred by the agreement after the developer furnishes a Redevelopment Plan, to wit, page 2,


“the exclusivity conferred upon Developer by this Agreement shall be continued and the Exclusivity Period shall be extended without need for any further or additional action by either the City, the Agency or Developer until the date on which the Common Council either endorses or rejects the Redevelopment Plan.” This, appears, in effect to prevent the city from seeking other proposals for the area until after it rejects finally the Cappelli Redevelopment Plan.


This is robbery of time.


The Agreement commits the city staff to working on the Redevelopment Plan, to wit, “make City and Agency staff reasonably available to meet and consult with Developer and its consultants at the City’s offices and at the Redevelopment Site, including, but not limited to, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, New York State Department of Transportation and County of Westchester.”  But, the city does this for most projects anyway, but this is a mammoth project, 5 buildings, a major highway out of the city. To make staff available free, is going to take a lot of time away from the staff’s other duties.


This Exclusivity Agreement goes far beyond giving Cappelli Enterprises exclusive negotiating rights. It appears to prohibit competitive proposals for the property being developed until the Council decides on whether or not to accept or deny the project.


 


 


Another thing this Exclusivity Agreement commits the Common Council to is a favorable attitude towards the project, to wit, Article II is even called “Endorsement of the Redevelopment Plan and Negotiation of Development Agreement.”  The language of the document says the Council endorses the plan, to wit, while acknowledging that approving the Exclusivity Agreement, “shall not constitute a final approval of the Proposed Project under the Zoning Ordinance or any State or local low, or a commitment by the Common Council to approve an Applications or the Proposed Project prior to the completion of review of the Proposed Project under the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA).


Sounds great, right? “not constitute a final approval.” But then in the same paragraph the Exclusivity Agreement says this:


“Not withstanding the foregoing and any other provision of this Agreement, the Common Council and the (Urban Renewal) Agency acknowledge that the Proposed Project initially presented by Developer (on MAY 10) and which induced the City, the Agency and Developer to enter into this Agreement is a fundamentally sound concept for the redevelopment of the Redevelopment Site and an appropriate and acceptable basis and framework for the formulation of a Redvelopment Plan, and the Common Council and the Agency agree that they shall in good faith consider the Redevelopment Plan.”


That is a very strong paragraph. It could be construed to be a “pre-approval” before details have been worked out.  It could be saying, “We love this.” And the Council would if they eventually rejected it, by subject to who knows what.


However, whether or not the Exclusivity Agreement is revised to take out this strong endorsement language, it has served its purpose.


Cappelli Enterprises has marked its territory, the moribund Railroad Station area is their baby and other developers should be beware.


With Councilmen Boykin, Malmud, Roach and Power under pressure from Robert Stackpole, Robert Levine and Marc Pollitzer, announced candidates for Common Council, it would be a self-serving, political manipulation to vote down the Exclusivity Agreement as evidence to hold up to Stackpole, Levine and Pollitzer that they are strong and not just “stampheads” for Mayor Delfino.


However, the Council’s silence on the whole Station Square project  when they have known about it for a month when they had no problem with granting exclusivity to negotiate, shows a lack of sophistication and awareness, at best – and a contempt for the community.


Why wouldn’t the Common Council President say – “Hold everything. This is so big that I am calling for the Mayor to throw this open for Requests for Proposals.”


The Common Council President could have done that.  Drawing a line at voting an Exclusivity agreement is a token gesture at best simply because the Council was playing politics and going along with the Administration request to keep Station Square quiet until the proper time.


But why keep it quiet? That is the question here.


Nonethe less, the Big Dog Wants the Puppy Developers To Stay on the Porch.


The crafty device of the Exclusivity Agreement puts competitors for White Plains prime real estate on notice that this is Cappelli Country, whether or not the Council approves the agreement or not or even a sanitized version of it.


It is a master stroke by the Chessmaster who, as one sage news commentator has said privately is always six moves ahead of everybody else on the White Plains chess board.


Perhaps even now, the Common Council is writing their speeches saying why they will approve a watered-down Exclusivity Agreement. Or, since the Cappelli-ests have already announced their intentions on the property – the work of the Exclusivity Agreement has been done. As long as he gets his Exclusivity even if he takes out the “endorsement” language, he has shut out the competition.


He’s also flush with $30 Million in cash from his sale of voting control of City Center to Entertainment Properties Trust. So far Cappelli Enterprises has not responded to WPCNR requests for why they sold voting control of City Center policies to their New Roc partner.


Or, perhaps the councilpersons are working on their speeches saying why they will not grant Exclusivity.


And as they read those self-righteous speeches Monday evening, White Plains citizens have to read between the lines, that until the duplicity of pre-knowledge of the council was revealed by this reporter last week, nobody cared. The council would have been coming at the Exclusivity Agreement cold in the public’s opinion.


But they knew about Exclusivity a month ago. They never raised objections. They should have killed it right when they first heard it. One more instance of not putting the land out for bid. Requests for Proposals or whatever.


On the political front, if I were challenging for Council seats of Dennis Power and Benjamin Boykin, and the anointed newcomer Milagros Luocona, I would forget about putting out position papers as opposition has announced. Nobody will read them. Messrs Stackpole, Pollitzer and Levine should have been pounding this coverup issue all week – somehow. It was a golden opportunity to pound them.


Tonight, Battle Hill Association hears Council President Rita Malmud speak. That should be interesting. They should ask her specifically why she did not make this public when she first heard of it – if she was told not to and why?  Doesn’t anybody on the Common Council remember?


And, I’m sorry but the biggest issue on this Station Square is not how many minority persons are featured in the renderings, for crying out loud. Wake up you editorial boards out there? How dumb is that certain editorial board that wasted ink on that? How about the traffic increase of 15,000 people daily into those office and hotel buildings? How about how will all those cars exit only into Tarrytown Road?  Bill Belosi, we will need you!


How about how this works with the light rail link across county? How about who is going to pay for it?


You cannot make this stuff up.

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Cappelli Sells Control of City Center to New Roc Partner for $30M Cash Plus?

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WPCNR The Cappelli News. May 30, 2007: Cappelli Enterprises has sold controlling interest in its City Center in White Plains  to Entertainment Properties Trust (with whom it is associated in New Roc City in New Rochelle) for $30 Million cash. The City Center has $120 Million in debt, according to a news release.


 



City Center in the Heart of White Plains is at the building in the middle of this photograph with the white cap, adjacent to the twin spires of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel under construction.


 





Robert Drum, Associate General Counsel for Entertainment Properties Trust, based in Kansas City, told WPCNR that Cappelli Enterprises would still be responsible for the day-to-day management of the building.


 


However, Drum, said on matters of major policy and management direction involving the future growth of the property,  Entertainment Properties Trust would be consulted by the Cappelli organization for approval.


Drum said that Entertainment Properties owned all the units in the property with the exception of the Target store, which owns its portion of the City Center on a condominium arrangement.


“We don’t own the real property,” Drum told WPCNR today, “We own (the voting rights) as an investment.”


WPCNR is seeking details from Cappelli Enterprises on the arrangement and future direction of the City Center.


Mr. Drum said details of the arrangement on what Entertainment Properties paid for the property, whether they assumed a portion or all of the $120 Million debt in exchange for the voting rights, were not available because the persons who had hammered out the deal were not available.


The purchase of voting rights was announced by Entertainment Properties Trust CEO David Brain who said in a news release on the Entertainment Properties website, that  “The addition of the City Center of White Plains to our portfolio of entertainment retail centers represents a continuation of our strategy


to own premier theatre-anchored properties, and a strengthening of our relationship with the Capelli


group, our partner in the New Roc Entertainment Center and a developer of numerous high-quality


retail and residential properties. Also, we are very excited about adding the National Amusement


name to our family of theatre operators.”

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County Starts X-Press Bus from WP to the Cty Airport June 18 to Ease Parking

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WPCNR THE PARKING NEWS. From Westchester County Department of Transportation. (Edited) May 29, 2007: Because Westchester County Airport parking facilities can no longer handle the number of cars seeking to park at the airport, the county is initiating direct link bus service it is dubbing “AirLink”: from downtown White Plains to the County Airport beginning June 18. 



 



Westchester County Airport: So popular there’s no place to park on high travel weekends.


 


The new Bee-Line bus system route will provide express service – for the same fare as a local bus – ($2 with MetroCard, $1.75 in Coins) between the White Plains Metro-North Railroad Station, the White Plains Bus Terminal and two stops at the Airport (the north complex parking and employment center and the Passenger Terminal). 


 


             There is just no getting around it that the parking situation at the airport is getting increasingly more difficult,” County Executive Andy Spano said. “There is limited parking, and with more business and leisure travelers taking advantage of the convenience of the county airport, the more stress it’s putting on the airport to find alternative parking areas for passengers.”


“We are trying this on a pilot basis and added to our other efforts, we hope the parking crunch can be reduced,” Spano said.


 


Linked to Train Schedules, Bus Connections Every Half Hour on the Half-Hour During Week


 


            Buses will be scheduled to meet Metro-North trains and Bee-Line connections in White Plains, departing for the airport approximately every 30 minutes, weekdays between 6:35 a.m. and 9:06 p.m.   Buses will depart from the airport on a similar schedule between 7:36 a.m. and 9:36 p.m.


            On Saturdays and Sundays and most holidays, service will begin and end at the same times, but morning and midday operations will be hourly; late afternoon and evening service will be every 30 minutes.


Total running time for the route is about 22 minutes from end to end. Seats in the AirLink bus will be removed to accommodate luggage and strollers


 


 


Since passenger demand increased earlier this year, the county has been airing ads on radio and cable television to encourage travelers not to drive their cars to the airport and it has relocated some parking to make way for passengers. The airlines have also been helpful in getting the word out that parking is limited, advising passengers to seek alternative transportation to the airport. 


            AirLink service will charge the regular Bee-Line fare of $1.75 in coins and accept MetroCards.  The MetroCard fare is $2 and includes a free transfer to and from other Bee-Line routes.  Transfers cost an additional 25 cents for coin customers.


            For schedule information visit www.Westchestergov.com/beeline or call the Bee-Line hotline at


 914-813-7777.


 


                                                                       


 


 


 


 


 

                                   

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